Kauai Railway / Ko'olau Railway 0-6-2 Locomotives in the USA

Class 1 (Locobase 13156)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 30, p 260. Works number was 31287 in July 1907.

Small sugar-plantation tanks like this one wouldn't seem to have much room for variation among designs, especially when produced by the same builder and headed for Kauai. But the earlier engine shown in Locobase 11998 had one more tube than the Ko'olau-bound engine.

In 1931, the KR was taken over by the Kahuku plantation. The 1 continued to operate for another 23 years before being retired in 1954.

Class Port Allen (Locobase 14213)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Vol 63, p. 233. Works numbers 38311-38312 in September 1912 and 54719 in April 1921.

The tight curves (34.5 degrees or 166 foot (50.6 metre) radius), light 30 lb/yard (15 kg/metre) rail, and 2 1/2% grades dictated the layout of this radial saddle tank design.

Placing the cast-steel frame outside of the drivers made room for the inside link motion. The rear truck enjoyed 5 inches (127 mm) of swing to each side. Its plantation venue called for the usual Radley & Hunter diamond stack with spark-arresting netting and the ash pan took water from the tank that sprayed through two dampers "so arranged,"said the specification,"as to sprinkle water on the fallen ashes as to prevent cane fires and the like". The ash pan also had netting under the dampers.

"BLW to bear in mind that this engine will be working in the tropics," said the specs. The cab was to be "as big, roomy and airy as possible, with ample size ventilator fitted in the roof." The roof was to be "extended in front and back over windows, to prevent sun from coming in on Engineer [sic] and fireman."

The two engines rolled down the Eddystone line seriatum and were ordered by Brewer & Company, acting for Alexander & Baldwin,but were lettered differently. The Port Allen bore the Kauai Railway while the Kauai (#5) had Hawaiian Sugar on its tank.

A third, ordered in 1920, arrived with the name Wahiawa. Although essentially identical to the two 1912 engines, the #2 burned oil and had a straight stack. Its drivers carried 47,500 lb (21,546 kg) and engine weight rose to 54,700 lb (24,812 kg). Its firebox was intended to be convertible to coal.

The Port Allen operated on the KRR for about 20 years before its sale to the Lihue plantation in July 1932. The Lihue sold the engine to the Grove Farm Plantation as the Wainiha and numbered 1. Kauai went to Grove Farm in August 1941 as the 2. Wahiawa was sold to McBryde Sugar in 1934 as their #4, but wound up alongside the Kauai at Grove Farm as their #5.